"Are you ready, Steven?"
Steven felt a warm tingle rush up his back as he heard Peridot's quiet voice, as nervous as she sounded, her voice still brought him some comfort.
"AH!... yes... I think I am" His voice trembled as he responded.
Please! Steven thought. I need to stop thinking of her like this. Not until I know if she loves me in the same way I love her.
Steven looked next to him, Peridot was on his left side, one of her hands was placed gently on his left thigh and her sidelong glance sparkled with worry.
It was finally time for them to take on the Cluster once more, and they were cramped in the new drill together. The base was similar to the original, and green since Peridot wouldn't have it any other way. It was bigger, though by the same merit, Steven forgot how much he grew in the past 4 years and it felt like they were closer together than last time; Which did NOT help Steven's racing heart at all.
Since their first night in the Valentine's cabin, it was almost impossible to hide how attracted he was to Peridot now. He ended up thinking back to when it started. That night, he ended up giving her a back massage that got pretty intimate. It took him a while to drift into sleep but he woke up by her coming back into bed from the bathroom. She looked a mix between anxious and frustrated. As much as he wanted to comfort her and apologize for things getting too close, she didn't want to talk about it and said it didn't have anything to do with him. He took a breath and accepted it. Though over the past several days, he couldn't stop thinking of her and was afraid of her catching him during those times where he thought of her "too much"... imagining what could have happened after the massage.
He shook himself back to the present, realizing that Peridot, in a much more calm mood than him, was talking to herself about how they were going to take care of the Cluster this time.
"Well, everything seems to be in order" she announced "and better than last time!"
"What's better, again?"
"Ah- last time the drill took two entire hours to reach the Cluster. Now it's only a speedy 100 minutes to the dot!"
Steven's only response was a smooth and amused smile.
"Well, it IS an improvement. You absolutely cannot deny that!" She huffed.
"You're right. You really are a genius" Steven generously indulged her.
She returned his comment with a playful shove on his bicep and a small giggle. "Alright, you pebble. We really have to start going now."
...
Some time passed as the drill made its way smoothly down into the Earth.
"It's a shame we don't have any tunes like last time" Steven lightly teased.
"To be fair, you weren't too appreciative last time. Besides, isn't my wonderful voice better than any music?" Peridot playfully rested a hand on her chest, her other hand still on the controller to steer the drill down.
After a brief shared giggle, Peridot closed her eyes, the feeling of the Earth caving within her. "So much has changed" she thought aloud.
Steven looked down to face her, and she could feel her sentiment reflecting in his eyes.
"Sorry..." She murmured.
"It's fine," Steven said comfortingly, "I actually like it when you get all emotional with me."
"Well, who else could I talk to?" Peridot felt herself smile but realized how sad that statement was.
She took a deep breath, certain words fluttering in her mind. She teared up thinking about them. The handle of the controller felt metallic and cold in her hands, her chest felt heavy as the dark Earth filled her vision before looking down at herself. I don't have it in me to look at Steven right now. It feels too...close. A ray of heat flooded her cheeks thinking about it, yet it wasn't completely bad.
"I didn't know how to love before I met you."
Peridot was quietly taken aback at her own words, she didn't know how she blurted it out but she did.
"Just that...it was an unnecessary feeling on Homeworld and all." She clumsily followed up.
"I-I..."
Peridot couldn't help but blush at Steven's goofy stammering. At least both of us are feeling a little awkward. She smiled to herself.
"I'm glad I got to meet you Peridot...I...I love you. I'm so glad we got to meet. I just feel like the luckiest man alive!" Steven was stammering the words out, blushing and chuckling to himself, shaking as if he was about to fall over.
"Steven...It's okay... I mean, are you okay?" Peridot gained the courage to look up at him.
"Peridot. I love you. A lot...I didn't plan on saying this now I just-"
"You were planning on saying this?"
"I've never felt this way about anyone."
"But you love practically everything!"
"This is different."
"Like...the type of love people on CPH feel for each other?"
"I'd like to think that we have a bit more chemistry than that." Steven's voice shook with more humor than embarrassment this time.
Peridot found herself laughing along.
"True. We aren't fictional characters after all! Though I- I don't know how I feel" she admitted.
"Well, I won't make you love me back if you don't want to. I know most gems don't really have romantic feelings..."
"Most gems don't betray their planet for a boy they only lived with for a month."
"To be fair we kinda knew each other before you lived at the barn."
"Not by choice, might I add."
"Yeah but it was mostly fun though, right?" Steven's eyes sparkled as he looked at her. Peridot felt as though her body was full of shooting stars.
He is undeniably attractive...for a hybrid anyways. Not that I know more than one. But his hair! So fluffy... but not too long. He has a remarkable build, a bit chubby but pretty muscular and strong. It feels so good to hold him, I couldn't do with a scrawny male...Oh! and his voice is so genuine and soft yet deep and- GAH! Cloddy mushy thoughts! I don't wanna start drooling when we're on a serious world saving mission!
*sigh* and I haven't even started listing his personality...
The ride was getting more bumpy as the drill hit denser rock, Peridot struggled to steer.
"If I said I loved you...what would happen?" Peridot asked him.
Steven blushed as if he didn't realize things would turn out this way. "Well, what do you know about human romance? Like, do you um...know what people do when they date?"
"TRIPLE TIP PENETRATION MODE!"
"...HUH?" Steven gasped
…...
"Ah-sorry. I had to activate triple tip penetration mode to dig into the harder rock...did I scare you?" Peridot felt a bit worried. Maybe I shouldn't yell that. It feels weird for some reason.
"No. Okay yes. I... At first I thought that was an answer to my question."
"Hmm. Well you never know. You need to get pretty close with someone to see them activate triple tip penetration mode...um I guess that applies to us I suppose. Can't think of any other being in the galaxy that would apply to actually. Have you seen anyone else activate triple tip penetration mode?" She could feel herself blabbering.
"Please stop saying 'triple tip penetration mode.'" Steven looked away from her, his face full of embarrassment and some hidden meaning she didn't fully understand.
"Sorry. Are you jealous? I can let you activate tripl- it if you want."
"Okay now you're just messing with me." He smiled.
"Maybe... You'll have to explain what's so weird about it later then, okay?"
"...Alright." Steven muttered as he shuffled beside her.
...
The drill managed to dig deeper into the Earth, following the Cluster's disharmonious voice almost magnetically.
"EEE!"
"Per- are you okay?" Steven asked, half tired and half confused.
"Sorry- but look! We've reached the peridotite layer again! I can't help but feel a bit at home, y'know?"
"Oh. Right" Steven mused, remembering the lava-like colors as they surrounded him once again.
"You know, natural Earth peridots are formed from lava," Peridot suddenly pointed out. "I've... done a lot of research, gemology as humans call it. Quite fascinating really. Not that these gemstones hold life but I can't help but feel like we're related all the same."
I'm not 100% following this but it's so cute when she talks like this. "Would it be weird if I got you some?" He asked. Soon thoughts of Peridot as a bejewled golden goddess filled his head.
"Hmm" She rested her head on her left hand as she quickly pondered. "I think it would be fine. Actually I'd recommend it. I actually don't like thinking of millions of inferior humans getting their hands on the most precious rock in the universe!" Her words raced out and her face lit with mostly playful excitement...but she was clearly into the idea.
"I guess only the most worthy can truly behold a Peridot's power" Steven couldn't help but keep going, she was clearly enjoying the praise.
"Ah, that's not even the best fact I have" Peridot smiled like a ray of sunlight as she spoke. "Humans have actually found meteorites with get this- peridots within them! Peridots from space! Nyahaha!" Steven grew warmer as she climbed onto his lap like a cat, giggling excitedly. "I'm not sure if that sounds familiar to you or anything...It's the only natural gemstone humans have found away from Earth~" She had a smooth look in her eyes as she grabbed Steven's shoulders and he wondered if her face was seductive on purpose.
"Woah...that is pretty awesome" Steven quietly said, feeling starstruck by the peridot on top of him more than the ones she was talking about.
"It's actually a birthstone too...for August" She looked away with a nervous smile. Her face was lit with blush but she didn't move her face away from his.
"I think spinel is the second birthstone for August, right?" Steven asked with a dorky smile. Peridot reflected with a bitter frown and rolled her eyes. "Yeah but Peridot is the main one." She said flatly.
"Absolutely. Spinel can't compare anyways" Steven laughed, luckily Peridot did too after a moment.
Steven felt himself close his hands together, playing with his thumbs. It feels so natural to have her on me like this...I don't know if I should touch her or leave her be. "Well, You know I was born in August..." Steven stammered and found himself looking into her eyes.
"Well, it looks like you're truly a peridot after all, my Steven." Peridot's confident voice turned soft and Steven realized her hand was on his cheeks. "I guess we're truly destined to be together...no wonder why I love you so much..."
Peridot stopped after a small gasp, and her eyes shone like stars as she gazed at him like an innocent bunny.
Steven realized his hands were trailing to hold her waist and he felt like he was floating in space. "Like...how people on CPH love each other?" He whispered, feeling his heart thump.
Her body shifted to sit on his lap as he hand trailed down to his shoulder. "Well, more than that. I'd like to think that we have more chemistry" she lightly joked.
"So, does that mean that you'd like to try...dating?"
"You'll have to teach me a few things but, I'd like to think our relationship is basically there as is."
"Of course... thank you Peridot. I- I really just want to see you happy." Steven felt his body naturally shift closer to her as he felt lightheaded.
"Mmm, you better keep doing that, you clod. No one would be more better for me than you. I know you're a Diamond but being with a Peridot is the highest possible honor, truly."
Steven's hands naturally made their way to hers and they leaned in to each other until their noses stayed still like that as he stared into her eyes for a moment. Steven felt her sweet scent radiating from her as she started giggling like a kitten and he couldn't help but join her.
"Nyah!?" Peridot released a quiet yelp as the drill bumped.
"Oh!" Steven felt his hand brush behind his head. "Maybe we should continue this after we deal with the Cluster." He chuckled nervously
Peridot playfully elbowed his side. "Not a bad first day as a power couple I suppose" she smiled.